Seeing Hirofumi's gesture, Madara let out a cold huff and swiftly left the villa.
Meanwhile, Hirofumi leisurely savored a spread of delicious dishes. He had to admit, this summoning space was incredible. The food he'd conjured up out of thin air was top-notch in color, aroma, and taste!
At first, he hadn't even known what to make. So, he just rattled off a playful rhyme: "Steamed lamb, steamed bear paw, steamed deer tail, roasted duck, roasted chick, roasted goose, braised pork, braised duck, sauced chicken, cured meat, pineflower eggs, dried sausage, assorted platter…"
And just like that, it all appeared!
Madara was back in no time, hauling a cleaned lamb leg over his shoulder. Say what you will about his attitude, but his strength made things convenient. The lamb was already roasted, courtesy of Madara's Fire Release jutsu.
But when Madara saw the extravagant feast on Hirofumi's table and compared it to the slightly charred lamb leg in his hand, he had the sudden urge to chuck it out the window.
Damn it! Why hadn't he ever learned to cook?!
Back in the Uchiha clan, servants handled all his meals. During the early days of the Hidden Leaf, he never set foot in a kitchen either—servants took care of everything. Plus, he'd often drop by Hashirama's place for a free meal. Sure, Hashirama was a goofball, but Mito Uzumaki's cooking was divine. Even that scheming Tobirama would show up to mooch food!
Thinking back on those old days, Madara took a fierce bite of his lamb leg… and immediately spat it out.
"Pfft! Damn it, it's burnt!"
"Pfft! Hahahaha!" Hirofumi, munching on a bear paw, burst out laughing.
"You little brat! What's so funny?!" Madara growled.
"Madara, stop being such a tsundere! I just wanted to treat you to a meal, no strings attached. No need to torture yourself like that!" Hirofumi said with a grin. "Honestly, I've always admired you—not just for your strength, but for your ideals too."
Hirofumi wasn't lying. Back when he watched Naruto, he'd always been drawn to Madara's unique charisma. It wasn't just his overwhelming power or commanding presence; it was his vision. Fans of the series knew Madara yearned for peace deep down. Why else would he team up with Hashirama to end the Warring States era and found the Hidden Leaf Village?
As kids, Madara and Hashirama shared a dream: to build a peaceful village where children wouldn't have to fight on battlefields, where ordinary people could live safely. Sometimes, Hirofumi wondered if things would've turned out better if Madara had been the First Hokage instead of Hashirama. Maybe all the chaos that followed could've been avoided. Maybe the ninja world could've been unified back then!
Madara and Hashirama had the strength to dominate the entire ninja world. With Susano'o wrapped around a Buddha statue, who could stand in their way? But Hashirama's kindness—or, let's be real, his naivety—believed peace could come through mercy and compromise. What a joke! If that approach actually worked, would there have been so many wars afterward?
Even Madara's later schemes, as twisted as they were, all stemmed from his desire for ultimate peace in the ninja world. Too bad he got played by that shady creep, Black Zetsu.
Madara froze at Hirofumi's words, his eyes narrowing as he studied the kid. "My ideals? Heh… You think you know my ideals?"
Hirofumi didn't rush to argue. He cracked open a bottle of soda, took a sip, and looked at Madara calmly. "The way of the world is for people to care not only for their own kin, but for all. To ensure the elderly are cared for, the strong are put to good use, the young are nurtured, and the widowed, orphaned, and disabled are supported…"
Hirofumi didn't directly answer Madara's question. Instead, he quoted a passage from the Book of Rites, evoking a vision of an ideal society.
Madara's expression shifted as Hirofumi spoke. His initial sneer turned to surprise, then to outright shock. The hand holding the lamb leg trembled. This kid had once bragged about unifying the ninja world, and Madara had dismissed it as arrogant nonsense. Sure, Hirofumi had some mysterious ability to summon spirits, but why would legendary warriors like Madara obey a kid like him? What gave him the right? His big head?
But these words… they struck a chord deep in Madara's soul. They were the very dreams he and Hashirama had shared as kids! Even after leaving the Hidden Leaf, Madara had never forgotten that vision. Could this kid's words… could that dream actually become reality?
As Madara stood there, stunned, Hirofumi's voice broke through again. "So, Madara, how about it? Wanna sit down and have a proper meal with me?"
Madara glanced at Hirofumi and let out a "Tch!" before tossing the burnt lamb leg aside. He strode over and plopped down across from the kid.
"Fine… you're an interesting little punk, I'll give you that."